House leaders on Tuesday defended Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and blasted former COVID-19 task force adviser Dr. Tony Leachon, saying the plunder and malversation complaints he filed misrepresents how government reserve funds are handled.
The complaints stemmed from the transfer of about P60 billion in unused Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) reserve funds and P107 billion from the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) to the national treasury under a special provision in the 2024 General Appropriations Act.
Several lawmakers said the fund transfer was carried out under a mechanism authorized by Congress through the national budget law, and should not be portrayed as an illegal diversion of public money.
Deputy Speaker and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin said Recto was being accused of implementing a provision already approved by lawmakers.
“Delikado ang kaunting kaalaman kapag ginagamit para magkunwaring eksperto sa budget process,” Garin said.
“Secretary Ralph Recto merely implemented what was clearly authorized under the General Appropriations Act. Kung talagang naniniwala si Dr. Leachon na ilegal ito, bakit hindi niya kasuhan ang buong Kongreso at Senado na nagpasa ng batas?” she added.
Garin also challenged Leachon to disclose whether other groups were behind his repeated attacks against Recto, saying his accusations appeared reckless and politically driven.
She further suggested that Leachon’s criticism may be linked to his reported interest in becoming Health secretary, noting that he had allegedly tried to position himself for the post under different administrations.
Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said Leachon appeared more focused on creating controversy than pursuing genuine accountability.
“Parang pilit na pilit niyang ilihis ang usapan mula sa mga totoong issue ng pananagutan,” Adiong said.
“If accountability is truly his advocacy, then he should apply the same standard to everyone and not only when it fits a political narrative,” he added.
House Committee on Higher and Technical Education chair Jude Acidre also criticized Leachon’s interpretation of the issue, saying it showed a weak understanding of fiscal management and the nature of reserve funds.
“Kulang sa kaalaman sa proseso pero sobra sa pag-iingay,” Acidre said.
“He keeps repeating that the funds were ‘unused,’ when that is precisely why they are called reserve funds. They are not meant to be spent recklessly or automatically exhausted,” he added.
Acidre said Leachon was misleading the public by making it appear that reserve funds were abandoned money that officials simply seized for their own use.
“That is a gross distortion of how fiscal management works,” he said.
Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega likewise accused Leachon of using the complaints as a political weapon, citing the defeat of the doctor’s relatives in the previous elections.
“Naiintindihan naman natin na natalo noong nakaraang eleksyon ang kanyang anak at ilang kamag-anak. Pero huwag naman sanang gawing political weapon ang mga reklamong kulang sa basehan,” Ortega said.
“Ang problema rito, pinagmumukhang public advocacy ang malinaw na pamumulitika,” he added.
House leaders maintained that public officials should be held accountable when warranted, but said accusations involving public funds must be grounded in law, facts, and a proper understanding of the budget process.